This is a news service only and the reports are unchecked. All records submitted via the "Submit record" page will be sent to the Bulletin Bird Notes Compiler and entered onto the DOS database even if they do not appear here. Please note that for obvious reasons we do not publish sightings of rare breeders such as Little Ringed Plover during the breeding season (unless obvious migrants)
For more reports please see The Recorder's Page
The News Archive is available here
Click here for details on how to submit records
Top of Page
March is the month where we see our winter visitors departing and our summer visitors trickling in, and there is no more spectacular sight than a herd of Whooper Swans migrating north-west, heading back to Iceland. Flocks were recorded at 19 sites with a minimum of 655 birds recorded (allowing for some potential duplication of records). Several locations were fortunate to have multiple records, including Carr Vale DWT NR, where 115 (in three flocks) on the 9th equalled the site record, whilst at Ogston Reservoir 123 (in 4 flocks) were seen on the 8th. Pink-footed Geese passage was all but done with just two small skeins but the Ingleby Three (White-fronted Geese) hung on into April. Scarce wildfowl were just that with the pick of the bunch being a brief female Smew at Carsington Water on the 7th. Single Common Scoters were seen at Carsington Water on the 16th and 23rd with nocturnal movement reported from two places, whilst the long staying Red-breasted Merganser at Ogston Reservoir was last seen on 17th.
The Carsington Great Northern Diver remained all month. A Bittern was seen in the north of the county, with up to eleven Cattle Egrets in the Trent Valley (Egginton being the favoured locality during the day with birds roosting at Willington GP) although there was an intriguing report of one in Cressbrook Dale on Birdguides (a rarity form required please as this is away from the Trent Valley). As usual up to 32 Little Egrets (Willington Fishing Lakes) were logged at 39 locations, whilst up to 6 Great White Egrets (Willington GP) were seen at 11 places. Raptors were well represented by the usual suspects with up to 7 Red Kites (Dovedale) recorded from an astounding 86 places. Marsh Harriers were seen at five sites with two at Belper on the 13th, probably the most unusual, whilst the earliest ever Ospreys were over Melbourne on the 15th and Etwall on the 19th, with another seven seen elsewhere.
Most notable amongst a trickle of returning waders were two Avocets that graced Bennerley Marsh 21st-24th, only to reappear on the 29th. Black-tailed Godwits were at Carsington Water on two dates (two and nine), where a Ruff was also found. An unseasonal Sanderling was at Middleton Moor and an early Common Sandpiper (perhaps a relocating overwintering bird) was seen on the 20th at High Bridge GP. Finally, amongst the waders, up to eight Jack Snipe (Carr Vale) were present at six sites. Scarce gulls were represented by an early flock of eleven Little Gulls at Ogston Reservoir on the 7th with three at Carsington Water and one at Woodhead Reservoir on the 31st, three Kittiwakes over two dates at Carsington Water, Mediterranean Gulls logged at three sites, the regular Caspian Gulls at Carsington Water and Yellow-legged Gull at Ogston Reservoir maintained a presence.
Up to 5 Short-eared Owls were seen at 12 sites and just 3 Merlins were seen. The remnants of the Waxwing invasion produced up to 60 (Bonsall Moor) with up to 31 at 7 locations. Single Hawfinches remained in situ at 3 regular places (with singles also at Foxlow Ponds and Carsington Water) as did a Mealy Redpoll in a Hadfield garden whilst up to 21 Crossbills were noted at 8 locations (although I suspect there is some duplication in the Flash Lane, Beeley Moor and Darwin Forest records).
As mentioned at the start of this round up, summer visitors began trickling in with Sand Martin on the 13th (Carsington Water, Ogston Reservoir and Wyver Lane), Wheatear on the 16th (Carsington Water and Middleton Moor), Little Ringed Plover on the 17th (Weston-on-Trent), Swallow on the 21st (Ogston Reservoir), Ring Ouzel on the 23rd (Gardom's Edge and Mossy Lea), White Wagtail on the 23rd (Bennerley Marsh), Willow Warbler on the 24th (Sutton Scarsdale), House Martin on the 28th (Linacre Reservoir) and Sedge Warbler on the 30th (Wyver Lane) (Note that Chiffchaff and Blackcap excluded as winter visitors and summer arrivals overlap).
So all in all a quiet month for rarities, with just the Cressbrook Cattle Egret qualifying as such, but an exciting month if you love Whooper Swan movement and the anticipation of finding an early migrant.
Mark Beevers